Refrigerating apparatus



Feb. 21, 1933. H. A. GREENWALD REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR nnunuunuunuuunuunuunfl nunnnammmnnnnn flaraz z/t. freezarad BY W Feb. 21, 1933 H. A. GREENWALD REFRIGEHATING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY-s flare Z /Z. free/z M4 2 a? Filed March 51, 1930 Feb. 21, 1933.

H. A. GREENWALD REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed March 31, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR fiqra ZcZ'fl- 5766714012 Z5 M 417,422 ,wfiza ATTORNEYS Feb; 21, 1933. H. A. GREENWALD REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Fil ed March 51, 19:50

4 Sheet s-Sheet flaraZJ/Z. dive)! W4 2% ATTORNEY'S Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE HAROLD A. GREENWALD, OF DETROIT, IIICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESH!!! ASSIGN- MENTS, TO KELVDTATOE CORPORATION, OF DETROIT,

O25 MICHIGAN MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION REFRIGERATING AIPPARATUB Application filed Hatch 81, 1980. Serial No. 440,558.

This invention relates generally to refrig- N erating apparatus and refers more particularly to portable refrigerating apparatus.

Heretofore it has been customary when installing refrigerating apparatus on or in refrigerating cabinets to mount the refrigerant low s1de such as the cooling coils or chamber within the food compartment or in a cooling chamber of the cabinet and to 19 mount the refrigerant high side such as the compressor and condenser either on top or at the bottom of the cabinet. Ordinarily it was dificult to install the machine upon or to remove it from the top of the cabinet. In fact, it has been necessary sometimes to use derricks and/or cranes to efiect the desired installation or removal of the high side parts. The space occupied was great since it was necessary to allow not only the actual space required by the cabinet and machine,

but also suflicient space for installing or removing the machine and a large space for air circulation, especially where convection A currents in the air were depended upon. Moreover, the space above the cabinet about the apparatus could not be used satisfactorily as cabinet or cupboard space, hence was wasted. In addition such installations usually included box-like covers or cages for the machine, and such enclosures were unsightly. When placed at the bottom of the cabinet the machine occupied space which might otherwise have been useful for cupboard space or for receiving foods, and from an efliciency, standpoint was objectionable. Due to the location and arrangement of parts the entire machine could not be.

sumed much time in just traveling as truck drivers back and forth between jobs. Consequently such workmen were unable to devote their entire time to skilled work and were expensive to maintain.

With the present invention; however, the high and low sides are arranged side by side in acommon horizontal plane and may be installed within or removed from a cabinet adjacent the top thereof without the aid of derricks and/or cranes and without uncoupling or breaking any refrigerant connections or disassembling any of the parts so that (w) refrigerant and/or oil cannot escape from the apparatus during installation or removal; (6) unskilled labor such as ordinary truck drivers may be used to make such installations or removals; and (a) skilled labor may remain in a central service station and devote its entire time to skilled service work.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portable refrigerating apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through a refrigerator cabinet with apparatus embodying my invention installed therein;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the refrigerator cabinet with the front door thereof removed and parts broken away;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the construction illustrated in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top planview of a slightly modified constructlon;

Fi ure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a front elevation with parts in section of the construction illustrated in Figure 6. v

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is the compressor; 2 is the condenser; 3 is the mo- 90 tor; 4 is the fan; 5 is the expansion valve; 5 is the thermostat; 6 is the cooling element; 6' is a base for the compressor and condenser; 6 is a refrigerant receiver in the base; and 7 is a common support for all of the elements just mentioned of a portable refrigerating apparatus embodying my invention. As shown, the support 7 comprises a substantially L-shaped main frame and carries a vertical wall 9, and a vertical trim panel 10. Preferably the base 11 of the L main frame comprises a layer 12 of wood and an angle iron framing 13. The upright portion 14 of the L frame is substantially rectangular in shape and is formed of angle irons. The wall 9 is upon the outer side of the upright portion 14 of the main frame and comprises a substantiall fiat body 16 of insulating material such as cork, a framing 17 of wood and the upper and lower horizontal steel angle bars 18 and 19 respectively. Preferably the wood framing 17 is rigidly secured by screws 17' to the upright portion 14 of the main frame and is substantially flush with the upper and lower edges thereof. The angle bars 18 and 19 are secured by screws 18 to the upper and lower cross bars 20 and 21 respectively of the framing and have their upright portions 22 and respectively at the outer edges of said bars. The trim panel 10 preferably comprises a sheet of metal having a porcelain facing, and covers the outer face of the Wall 9 In the present instance the motor 3, condenser 2 and expansion valve 5 are mounted upon the base 11 of the main frame; the compressor 2 is carried by the motor; the fan 4 is on the drive shaft extending between the motor and compressor; and the cooling element 6 is carried by the auxiliary frame 9. Thus the cooling element and the other elements just mentioned of the apparatus are side by side in a substantially horizontal plane and occupy very little space. As shown, the cooling element 6 has a three point support upon the auxiliary frame 9 and comprises a brine tank 24, an ice tray compartment 25 within the tank, and expansion coils 26 within the tank, preferably upon opposite sides of the tray com,- partment. The three supports 27, 28 and 29 respectively for the cooling element are similar in construction and each preferably comprises a short tube 30, a tubular spacer 31 and a clamping nut 32. Preferably the tubes 30 have flanges 33 at their outer ends within the tank 24 and have exteriorly threaded portions 34 within the auxiliary frame 9. The spacers 31 surround the tubes 30 between the tank 24 and trim panel 10, and the nuts 32 engage the threaded portions 34 upon the rear sides of the angle bars 22 and 23 respectively. Suitable rubber washers 35 and 35 respectively surround the tubes 30 between the ends of the spacers 31 and the tank 24 and trim panel 10. The tubes 30 of the two lower su ports 27 and 28 receive the high and low side refrigerant conduits 36 and 37 respectively extending between the condenser 2, expansion coils 26 and compressor 1 respectively. Thus the supports 27 and 28 not only carry the cooling element 6, but clamp the trim panel 10 against the framing l7 and angle bars 18 and 19 and also serve as housings for pertions of the high and low side refrigerant conduits. Any suitable means such as the plug 29 may be used to close the tube 30 of the support 29.

In use the portable apparatus described above may be installed in any suitable place, for instance in a refrigerator cabinet 40 corresponding to that set forth and described in detail in my companion application Serial No. 440,557. As shown, the cabinet 40 has a food compartment 41 and a chamber 42 for refrigerating apparatus arranged side by side. The cooling element 6 is received in the food compartment 41, the vertical panel 10 closes the opening 43 in the front wall of the chamber, and all parts of the apparatus in rear of the panel 10 are received within the chamber 42. Preferably the side rails 44 and 45 respectively of the base 11 are received in and are guided by channel slides 46 and 47 respectively on the bottom 48 of the chamber at opposite sides thereof, while a spring clip 49 rigid with the rear wall 40 of the cabinet is used to hold the support 7 in the chamber. Thus when the parts are assembled, (1) the chamber 42 and the refrigerating elements therein such as the compressor 1, condenser 2, etc., are insulated by the wall 9 and panel 10 from the food compartment 41 and cooling element 6; (2) the insulating wall 9 and trim panel 10 are removable with the apparatus; (3) the trim panel 10 constitutes a part of the interior finish or lining of the food compartment 41 of the cabinet; and (4) the cooling unit 6 is arranged within the food compartment 41 in such a way that food may be placed upon opposite sides thereof, and the tray compartment 25 within the element is normally closed by the food compartment door 41.

Preferably a gasket 10 extending around the edges of the trim panel 10 is used to engage the adjacent edges of the chamber 42 and establish an air-tight seal, and a gasket 24 upon the outer wall of the brine tank 24 is used to establish an air-tight seal between the tray compartment 25 and food compartment door 41'.

In Figures 6 to 8 inclusive I have shown a slight modification in which the base 6 for the compressor and condenser has been dispensed with; the motor carrying the compressor is provided with a three polnt spring I located at the top of the suspension; the refrigerant receiver 6" in the base has been dispensed with and is now condenser; and the mounting for the cooling element 6 has been changed. As shown, the motor 3 rests upon a plate 50 supported at opposite ends thereof by three coil springs 51, 52, and 53 respectively. The receiver 54 is supported by posts 54 rising from the base 11 of the L frame and is provided in the bottom and in one end thereof with suitable openings that receive the tubes 55 and 56 respectively leading from the condenser 2 and to a valve 56 connected by a tube 56" to the expansion valve 5. In the present instance the vertical trim panel 57 is secured to the outer face of a frame 58 of Wood secured to the upright portion 14 of the main L frame, and is provided centrally with an outwardly projecting tubular (portion 59 that surrounds and is secure to the rear end of the cooling element 6. Preferably a gasket 60 surrounds the cooling element at the rear end thereof and is received in an L-shaped rabbet 61 of the tubular portion 59 so as to provide an air-tight and neat construction. Bolts 62 project rearwardly from the rear end of the cooling element 6 and are received in upstanding flanges 63 of L-shaped brackets 64 secured to the Wood frame 58 and are held in assembled position by means of nuts 65 and 66 respectively upon opposite s des of the upstanding flanges 63. With this construction the refrigerant tubes 67 and 68 respectively from the expansion valve to the cooling coils within the coollng element and from the latter to the intake of the comressor extend through the tubular portion 59 of the panel and through nipples 69 and 70 respectively rigid with the rear wall of the cooling element at one side thereof.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I'do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my, invention is:

1. A portable refrigerating apparatus for use in a refrigerator cabinet havinga foo compartment provided with a lining, and a compartment in rear of said food compartment and accessible from said food compartment through an opening in an intermediate wall,'including a base movable through the opening, an upright wall portion on the base movable into the opening, and a substantially flat trim panel upon the outer face of the wall portion and'h'aving marginal portions projecting beyond the edges of said wall portion for abutting the outer faces of the wall portion and constituting a portion through the opening,

d a point substantially of the interior trim of the food compartment.

2. A portable refrigerating apparatus for compartment provided with alining, and a compartment in rear of said food compartment and accessible from said food compartment through an openin mediate wall, including a use in a refrigerator cabinet having a food in an interase movable an upright wall portion on the base movable into the opening, and a substantially fiat trim panel upon the outer face of the wall portion and having marginal portions overlapping the edges of said wall portion and abutting the outer face of the wall portion, a cooling element in front of the panel, and a connection between said element and wall portion including means extending through the panel, the construction and arrangement of said wall portion, panel, element and connection being such that only visible when the parts are in operative position within the cabinet.

3. A portable refrigerating apparatus including a base upon which a compressor, condenser and motor may be mounted, a substantially vertical frame rising from the base, a substantially flat trim panel overlapping the front face of the frame, a cooling element in advance of the panel, and a connection between said element and frame including means for holding the panel in assembled position relative to the frame. 4. A portable refrigerating apparatus including a base upon which a compressor, condenser and motor may be mounted, a substantially vertical frame rising from the base, a cooling element in advance of said frame, refrigerant tubin extending from the element through the rame, and a support for the element including a housing for the tubing projecting forwardly from the frame.-

5. A portable refrigerating apparatus substantially T-shape in plan and having the refrigerant high and low sides thereof in a common horizontal plane, cluding a compressor, motor and condenser arranged in line and forming the head' of the T, and the low side including a cooling unit projecting forwardly from the line at midway of its ends and forming the stem of the T.

6. A portable refrigerating a paratus sub stantially T-shape in plan an including a compressor, motor and condenser arranged in line, and a cooling unit extending at substantially right angles to the line, the compressor, motor, condenser and cooling unit being in a common horizontal plane.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HAROLD A. GREENWALD.

the element and panel are the high side in 

